Tag Archives: The Point 1888.

Thermos warms up for new kids range with Rachel Ellen

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Thermos, the 117 year old brand known for keeping drinks and soups hot while on the go, is expanding its presence in the children’s space with a new range developed in partnership with the award-winning greeting card and stationery designer, Rachel Ellen.

Forged by Rachel Ellen’s licensing agent, The Point. 1888, the partnership will see the Rachel Ellen brand apply its designs to Thermos’ popular children’s products, including insulated bottles, food containers, and lunch bags.

This deal marks the first partnership that The Point.1888 has secured for Rachel Ellen since starting with the brand in late 2020. Having developed an in-depth retail and category strategy aligned to Rachel Ellen’s brand vision, The Point.1888 embarked on a search for licensee partners who would make a good fit, produce high quality products and also wouldn’t conflict with the brand’s own award-winning ranges.

It is hoped the partnership will bring a lot of benefits to both partners: strengthening the affiliation Rachel Ellen’s fans have with the brand and also helping Thermos to develop its kids range in the UK.

Janine Richmond, senior commercial manager for Home at The Point.1888, said: “Thermos was one of the first contacts we presented to Rachel Ellen. Having first met the Thermos team when I joined The Point.1888 in 2018, I understood which licenses were most likely to appeal and so could envisage a Rachel Ellen range being a fantastic addition to its collection.

“We know there is demand from Rachel Ellen’s existing customer base for kids lunch products and with the conversations with retailers already in full swing, we can see a great opportunity to broaden the offering and open new doors.”

Rachel Church, the creator and lead designer for Rachel Ellen, added: “Thermos is such an iconic brand, and its products are fantastic quality, so useful and we feel it’s perfect for our demographic. Seeing my designs on new products is always exciting, especially on great products and ones that I would buy myself. The initial concepts are looking vibrant and colourful and I can’t wait to see the finished product.

“I’m also so grateful to The Point.1888 for making it happen. It has been very refreshing and uplifting to start working with them – they are all so positive, informative and thorough which is wonderful, and it’s nice to feel valued.”

James Sheldon, trading manager for Thermos UK, said: “We are delighted to be working with Rachel Ellen. We were looking for opportunities to expand our kids range and instantly saw the synergies between the two brands. The designs are colourful, fun and exciting and we’re really looking forward to seeing them on our products.

“ThePoint.1888 saw the potential in linking Thermos UK and Rachel Ellen together and have been fantastic to work with, enabling the development of the relationship and making the entire process seamless.”

Moonbug’s CoComelon joins Poetic Brands growing children’s and baby wear portfolio

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The popular pre-school property, CoComelon is stepping into the baby and children’s wear market thanks to a new partnership between Poetic Brands and Moonbug Entertainment.

In a deal brokered by the brand’s EMEA licensing agent, The Point. 1888, Poetic Brands will develop and launch a collection spanning children’s daywear, outerwear, and swimwear, along with towels, winter accessories, and sleeping bags. The new range will focus on the bright, playful, nursery-rhyme singing characters of CoComelon.

The consumer products programme for the property recently kicked off when Jazwares launched a toy line incorporating plush, role-play, vehicles and mini-figures.         

Anne Bradford, director, Poetic Brands, said: “From day one, it’s been important to ensure that every brand that we sign has an angle that is truly unique. CoComelon has an incredible global audience and massive brand adoption, creating a huge opportunity for retailers to engage with.  

“As soon as we discussed CoComelon with The Point.1888, we knew that this was perfect for us, and it is completely new to the apparel market. This will give us the opportunity to create ranges that will provide everything a preschooler needs from their t-shirts and sweats right through to their puddle suits and jackets. With its core engagement of one to four-year-olds, this is a fabulous new opportunity for retail.”

Becky Langer, senior commercial manager, Soft Goods at The Point.1888, added: “The brand has had such incredible digital success and we wanted to make sure that our licensing programme would enable fans to get enjoyment from it even while away from the TV or iPad.

“We’re thrilled to be in a position to announce this partnership and cannot wait to see the reaction from Cocomelon’s growing audience to the new product range.”

Poetic Brands grows its pre-school portfolio with Moonbug’s My Magic Pet Morphle

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Poetic Brands is continuing to expand its baby, children’s wear, and accessories division, this time through an extended partnership with Moonbug Entertainment to develop an apparel range based on the My Magic Pet Morphle brand.

The deal was brokered by The Point. 1888 who manages the rights for Moonbug’s properties across EMEA and will see the apparel specialist create a collection of accessories, children’s clothes, outerwear, and swimwear.

Morphle is Mila’s magic red pet, who can morph into anything – a sweet puppy, a giant truck, a cool dinosaur or anything that Mila’s playful mind can imagine. With over 250 episodes in its library and content in 12 languages, the show teaches preschoolers the themes of friendship, problem solving and creativity, and is available on a range of digital platforms including YouTube, Amazon, Netflix, Apple TV, and most recently, was part of a deal to be shown on Virgin Media platforms.

The consumer products programme for the imaginative and playful kids’ brand, managed by The Point.1888 has also begun with a deal with Thinkway Toys as Master Toy partner. 

Anne Bradford, director, Poetic Brands, said: “My Magic Pet Morphle offers fantastic animation based around a magic pet store, which will enable us to create some interactive and fun products. It completes a strong portfolio of properties for this area of the retail market.”

Becky Langer, senior commercial manager, soft goods at The Point.1888, added: “We are thrilled to partner with Poetic Brands on this exciting range for My Magic Pet Morphle fans. We believe that their design, manufacturing and speed to market capabilities will ensure that fantastic products come to market in 2021, quenching the pent-up consumer demand for this phenomenal growing brand.” 

Major expansion at The Point. 1888 sees five new members join the team

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The Point. 1888 has detailed its latest major expansion with the appointment of five new employees across its commercial, product development, marketing, and legal divisions. The move comes, according to the firm, as it manages the increased attention and demand driven by ‘an incredible 2020.’

The past year not only saw The Point. 1888 roll-out a calendar of successful Virtual Immersion Events and record-breaking product launches – including a Barratt’s partnership with Iceland which sold 1.3 million units in its first 12 weeks – but it also witnessed its management team take home a pair of the industry’s most prestigious awards when MD Will Stewart won the BLLA’s Brand Ambassador of the Year, and head of retail Hannah Stevens won Licensing International’s Global Rising Star Award.

Now, as the team continues its plans for major expansion, it has welcomes a suite of new employees. Katie Wilkinson has joined as senior commercial manager for publishing, bringing with her 20 years’ experience in the publishing industry. Most recently, she worked in DJ Murphy’s children’s division and last year secured the licensed to launch Blippi magazine.

Meanwhile, Amy Wickham-Hurd has been appointed as creative commercial manager, reporting to senior commercial manager for home, Janine Richmond. She joins from eOne where she managed product development for Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom and Ricky Zoom, and prior to this she worked as a Buyer for Mothercare, Boots and Monsoon Accessorize.

Sadie Wright joins as product development executive from Santoro Licensing, reporting to product development manager Carrie Sharland, while Ellen Fazakerley has taken the newly created role of marketing executive, working under head of marketing Sarah Crimes and for the agency’s fast-growing Story.1888 division.

Finally, Kate Buitendach has joined the team as contracts manager, making the move from Disney.

Will Stewart, Managing Director of The Point.1888, said: “We’re so excited to be growing our business, creating five new roles to meet the demand from clients and have these incredible, talented legends each bring something new to our team. This is a huge step forward for our business and will allow us to fulfil the many exciting plans we have for 2021.”

Each new appointment will be crucial for the company’s continued growth. In her new role, Wilkinson will be focussed on securing the right partners to deliver new publishing opportunities that resonate with both consumers and retailers and help extend the brands the agency works with into new markets.

Wickham-Hurd’s role will be a hybrid of creative and commercial, allowing her to apply her knowledge and experience across the business while also getting involved in style guides and new collaborations.

As product development executive, Wright will be supporting the team in ensuring all items move smoothly through the development process and assisting The Point.1888’s partners in any way possible.

Fazakerley will be responsible for social media both for The Point.1888 and Story.1888’s clients. She will also be charged with upping the video content across the business and supporting head of marketing, Sarah Crimes.

Finally, Buitendach will be working alongside contracts manager Lynne Chappel, initially focussing on the busy and ever growing Moonbug account.

No stranger to The Point.1888 having worked with them as a licensee for many years, Katie Wilkinson commented: “I always found their integrity, passion, expertise, honesty and ethos refreshing and inspiring.

“When an opportunity to join them arose I was absolutely thrilled… a chance to work with a fantastic team on a diverse and hugely exciting portfolio of brands, exploring and developing products in the space I know and love.”

Amy Wickham-Hurd added: “I chose to join The Point due to the diverse and expanding portfolio of brands, such as the preschool phenomena under the Moonbug umbrella, iconic sports brands including Team GB and The British Lions, classic properties such as Moomins and carefully curated design brands like Miss Print and Jimbobart to name but a few.

“Not to mention a fantastic team that are pushing the boundaries within Licensing to bring innovative new products to market.”

Established in 2014, The Point.1888 delivers retail focused brand extension programmes by creating new products based on the gaps it sees at retail, rather than what it thinks the brand’s target demographic might like.

Percy the Park Keeper picks up partnership with Poetic Brands for baby and children’s apparel

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The evergreen children’s property, Percy the Park Keeper is moving in on the baby, children’s wear, and accessories space thanks to a new partnership with Poetic Brands, adding to the firm’s strengthening portfolio across the kids’ market.

The collection with include babywear, layette and baby accessories including bibs, hats, scratch mitts, booties, and muslin cloths, as well as baby changing bags. For children, the range will include apparel and outerwear, swimwear and towelling ponchos, as well as nightwear and essentials.

Percy the Park Keeper’s narrative has encouraged generations of children, especially in schools, to take an interest in, and care for, the natural world around them. Written by award winning author, Nick Butterworth, Percy the Park Keeper has sold around nine million books since its first appearance in 1989. Since then the character has been the subject of an animated TV series, where he was voiced by Academy Award-winning British actor, Jim Broadbent. 

As the brand celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, there has been a range of activity around the much-loved park keeper, including a partnership with National Trust at Blickling Estate, and Dunham Massey, featuring online activity including story time with Nick himself.

Anne Bradford, director, Poetic Brands, said: “Percy The Park Keeper was already on our radar for 2021 and as soon as Hannah at The Point.1888 confirmed that they were representing Percy, the deal memo was signed.  

“The brand is a true evergreen from both a book and television perspective, but has a completely clean retail space for apparel. We’re looking forward to working with these incredible illustrations to create some premium ranges with a broad appeal to adults and children alike who know and love these books.”

Olivia Wiggett, senior commercial executive, at The Point.1888, added: “‘We are absolutely delighted to be working with Anne and the specialist team at Poetic on this truly magical range of products. Percy is a brand dear to so many families, across the generations – and we look forward to expanding this brand to retail across various categories in 2021.”

The Point. 1888 and Moonbug Entertainment sign six new partners for pre-school hit Blippi

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The Point. 1888 and Moonbug Entertainment Ltd have secured six new licensing partners for the popular children’s brand, Blippi. The latest raft follows the brand’s recent publishing partnership with DJ Murphy and builds on the growing demand for licensed Blippi products.

The Point. 1888 was appointed in the summer as the master licensing agency across EMEA for Blippi, along with other brands in Moonbug’s portfolio, including CoComelon, My Magic Pet Morphle and ARPO.

Since coming on board, The Point.1888 has sought to capitalise on the show’s popularity with young children as well as the need to keep them entertained and engaged by signing licensees across a broad range of categories, including clothing, puzzles and games.

The new licensees secured by The Point.1888 for Blippi include Scholastic as master publisher, Poetic Brands for kids daywear, Misirli for Blippi branded socks, TDP Textiles and Aykroyds & Sons for Blippi pyjamas and swimwear, RMS International for Blippi puzzles, and Zak for Blippi branded lunch boxes.

The new line-up joins Blippi’s existing partners in Jazwares, Creative Kids, Texco, Round Room and DJ Murphy.

With over 12 billion content views worldwide, the fun and playful Blippi educates and entertains children aged two to six years old across the world, empowering them to explore their curiosity.

Bethan Garton, Commercial Director at The Point.1888, said: “The brand licensing programme for Blippi is really picking up pace, and that is in part thanks to the incredible team at Moonbug who have been so open to our ideas and share our passion in making this a success. It may look like there’s a lot going on now but trust me when I say it’s about to get even busier.”

Simon Philips, senior in-house advisor, Moonbug, added: “The Point.1888 has been an excellent partner and these new licensees are a testament to the hard work that the team has put into expanding the playful world of Blippi.”

The Point. 1888 secures raft of licensees for Moonbug’s CoComelon across books, arts & crafts, puzzles and more

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The hit children’s brand, CoComelon has strengthened its licensing portfolio with the addition of no fewer than 11 new licensing partners, thanks to a slate of signings secured by The Point. 1888 on behalf of the pre-school IP owner, Moonbug Entertainment.

The brand extension specialist was brought on board in August 2020 as the master licensing agency across EMEA for CoComelon and other brands under the Moonbug umbrella, including Blippi, My Magic Pet Morphle and ARPO. Since joining, The Point.1888 has sought to build on the fast-growing popularity and awareness of CoComelon, signing licensees that will give the brand products to widen consumer engagement.

New licensees secured by The Point.1888 for CoComelon, include the clothing specialist, Poetic Brands, the underwear specialist Misirli who will produce CoComelon socks, Egmont Books as the master publisher for story, board, novelty, activity, and sound books, and children’s bedding specialist Character World.

Meanwhile, Crayola will create colouring and activity books, Alligator Products will expand on the Crayola offering with complimentary colouring and activity books, RMS International will produce CoComelon wooden puzzles, arts & crafts, bubble kits, and sensory toys, YWOW will create CoComelon branded collectable mini cube puzzles, Danilo will produce greeting cards, and Sinco Creations will produce accessories and playmates.

Finally, Zak will develop a line of lunchware.

These new licensees join CoComelon’s existing partners Jazwares and Bandai, whose products have already proven hugely popular since their launch in A/W as well as Wow! Stuff, Ravensburger, TDP Textiles, Aykroyds & Sons and Egmont Magazine all launching SS2021.

Becky Langer, senior commercial manager of soft goods at The Point.1888, said: “The broad range of deals we’ve secured ensures that CoComelon’s fast-growing audience can build a greater affinity with the brand and still get enjoyment from it even while away from the TV or iPad.

“The growth of the brand is phenomenal and we only expect this to accelerate once product hits the markets and consumers can fully immerse themselves in the world of JJ and the rest of the CoComelon gang.”

Simon Philips, senior in-house advisor, Moonbug, added: “It is great to watch the affinity for CoComelon grow globally and we’re thrilled to bring a broad range of experiences – from puzzles to clothing – to kids and families everywhere.”

Further developments in CoComelon’s EMEA brand licensing programme are to be announced in the coming weeks and the first products are expected to be in stores by January 2021.

British & Irish Lions score new partnership with golfing brand Titleist

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The British & Irish Lions has scored a new licensing partnership with the world-leading golf brand, Titleist.

The agreement is one of a number of new license deals secured by brand licensing specialist The Point.1888, who has partnered with the Lions to create a new range of products ahead of the Tour to South Africa in 2021 to face world champions, the Springboks.

Recognised as the game’s leading performance equipment brand, Titleist will offer a range of high-specification, Lions branded accessories including golf balls, golf bags and golf club head covers, as well as gloves and towels.

 Today’s announcement comes off the back of the enormous interest in next summer’s Tour, with record numbers of travel packages and tickets being sold to Lions and Springbok supporters, as well as a spate of commercial partnerships recently being announced including Vodafone, Castle Lager, Hackett, Canterbury and Famous Grouse.

“We are delighted to welcome Titleist to our growing family of licensees,” said Tom Halsey, British & Irish Lions Commercial Director. “Titleist products are top quality and, like the Lions, are known around the world for being a symbol of excellence.

“I am sure Lions supporters will be keen to take to the course with the number one ball in golf, featuring the famous Lions crest.”

 Titleist is the latest in a list of recent Lions’ license deals secured by The Point.1888, which include FOCO UK (face coverings, towels and garden gnomes), Vision Sports Publishing (The British & Irish Lions – The Official History), Danilo (Lions branded calendars and diaries for 2021), Zak (a range of British & Irish Lions homewares, gifting and mealtime and drinkware), Oddballs (men’s and women’s Lions underwear), Game on Glove (supporters’ merchandise and accessories), Brecrest (babywear, including bibs, sleep suits and baby grows), BDA (premium corporate products including pins and leather goods), and Zenith (collectible coins commemorating past Lions captains).

“We are absolutely delighted to bring two iconic brands in golf and rugby together to offer fans a unique collection of products to celebrate the Lions Tour,” said Hannah Stevens, head of retail at The Point 1888.

“As a retail-first brand extension company we are actively planning for a truly spectacular summer of rugby with our retail and new licensee partners.”

Sutikki brings in The Point. 1888, Kids Industries, and Rock Hill Media for global expansion plans

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The children’s entertainment company, Sutikki, has lined up new partnerships with the family market marketing agency Kids Industries, the brand licensing agency The Point. 1888, and the media strategists Rock Hill Media Ventures. The trio will work with Sutikki, the home of Moon & Me, to develop global brand strategies for international growth.

“We’re thrilled to have this global network of industry visionaries as partners in Sutikki’s new phase of growth and innovation,” said Sutikki CEO, Hannah Mungo. “Each agency has experience in building, innovating and executing new tactics for brand connectivity and engagement.”

The UK-based Kids Industries will work alongside Sutikki to develop a global brand strategy for its IP. It will draw on its experience working with industry leading clients such as BBC Worldwide, ViacomCBS, Universal Studios, McDonald’s, and The Walt Disney Company.

Kids Industries recently executed campaigns for Marvel, Star Wars, SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

“We’re the only full-service agency on the planet specialising in the family space, where we’ve been connecting human emotions with market intelligence to make brands stronger for over 20 years,” said Kids Industries co-founder and CEO, Gary Pope.

“We can’t wait to bring our expertise and insights to the table to facilitate brand strategies, which will be designed to ensure maximum exposure and a 360 approach to the brand build.”

Meanwhile, The Point.1888 will ‘provide insight and guidance on Sutikkis’s consumer products programme,’ utilising its experience working with major entertainment IPs such as The Gruffalo, Star Wars, LOL Surprise, Marvel, Clangers, Mr Men, Noddy, and Sesame Street.

The Point. 1888 currently manages CoComelon, Blippi, My Magic Pet Morphle, and Percy the Park Keeper.

“We’re excited to join Sutikki in this pivotal moment of transformation and provide insight and guidance on its consumer products programmes,” said Will Stewart, founder and managing director at The Point.1888. “Sutikki’s IP connects with children by capturing their attention and developing their imagination and it’s our job to turn that creativity into lucrative licensing opportunities. We’re really looking forward to partnering with Sutikki to ensure commercial success across the UK.”

Finally, Keith Dawkins of Rock Hill Media Ventures, the former Nickelodeon executive, has been appointed as a strategic consultant for the US market. He brings with him expertise in content strategy, distribution, and development within the kids’ space.

Rock Hill currently boasts strategic partnerships with the NBA Players Association, Oscar and Emmy Award-winning media company Believe Entertainment, and the LA-based content accelerator, Sameer Gardezi’s Break the Room.

“I am excited to have Rock Hill Media Ventures partner with Sutikki in expanding its global kids’ footprint,” said Dawkins. “I look forward to bringing my expertise in the kids’ market to best support in road mapping the US expansion for Sutikki.”

To follow the development of these partnerships visit www.sutikki.com.

Moonbug’s Blippi lands UK kids’ magazine partnership with DJ Murphy through The Point. 1888

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Moonbug Entertainment’s popular pre-school brand, Blippi, a YouTube sensation turned children’s entertainment franchise, is coming to the UK’s children’s magazine space thanks to a new partnership with publishers DJ Murphy.

The deal was brokered by The Point. 1888 on behalf of Moonbug Entertainment, and looks to capitalise on the show’s popularity among children. With over 12 billion content views worldwide, the fun and goofy Blippi aims to educate and entertain the two to six year old market the world over.

Blippi aims to inspire and keep children busy with fun and educational activities. The Point.1888 signed a deal with DJ Murphy to take the show’s best elements and turn them into an interactive magazine.

 Issued monthly, the 36-page fun-zine is designed to surprise, challenge and delight fans with activities, games and puzzles while Blippi helps them to understand the world.

 This is not the first time that The Point.1888 and DJ Murphy have collaborated, having enjoyed a great working relationship for many years with client L.O.L.. Due to the publishing group’s rich history of working with YouTube brands including Shopkins and equestrian This Esme, as well as its strong retail relationships, The Point.1888 was keen to secure them as Blippi’s publishing partner from day one.

Zoe Cannon, managing director at DJ Murphy, said: “From the moment we saw how engaged Blippi’s fans are with his shows, we wanted to work with the brand. His passion and excitement for discovery and curiosity is contagious and we desperately wanted to make a magazine that would be as immersive, educational and fun.

“Working with our existing contacts at The Point.1888 and with new licencing partner Moonbug, has been great. Moonbug’s creative team are so excited and passionate about the brand that it’s really contagious. There is such a wealth of assets for Blippi that literally anything is possible in the magazine.”

Bethan Garton, commercial director at The Point.1888, said: “Alongside the monthly magazines for 2021, there is so much more in the pipeline for this brand with partners secured across apparel, bedding, toy, arts and crafts and more. We’re thrilled to be working with the industry’s best people to make it all happen.”

 The magazine is now in stores and available to buy in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, WH Smith, Asda, Waitrose, Co-op and all good newsagents, or online from ponymag.com/shop.